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Since joining the department in 2018, Sivasankar has led innovative research projects and community-building initiatives.

Sivasankar investigates how cells stick together to form tissue. He and his lab have developed new methods for measuring this biomechanical process to understand how wounds heal and how cancer metastasizes. He serves on multiple scientific panels and in several leadership positions in professional societies.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

As an expert in thermal fluid sciences, Narayanan is at the forefront of thermal management technologies. His work has spanned building energy efficiency and HVAC technologies, data center thermal management, additively manufactured heat exchangers for extreme environments and energy efficiency in industrial processes.

In 2015, he joined UC Davis as a professor and associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, which works with manufacturers, policymakers and utilities to accelerate the development and commercialization of efficient heating, cooling and energy distribution solutions. He has served as the center’s director since 2021.  

—  Matt Marcure and Jessica Heath

Environmental Science and Policy chair

Professor Steven Sadro is the new chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. Sadro, who joined the faculty in 2015, is a freshwater ecologist who studies how lakes and streams respond to environmental change.

Sadro started the role July 1 and succeeds Susan Harrison, who served as chair for the past six years and will remain a distinguished professor with the department. Sadro said he plans to continue the department’s strategic planning efforts while looking for ways to give students the knowledge, experiences and support they need to succeed in their careers.

“I feel a strong sense of duty and responsibility to the department and our students, and I appreciate the opportunity to serve,” Sadro said. “Last year, we started dipping our toes into strategic planning, and I’d like to carry forward with that process. We also have our major program review taking place this year. It’s an opportunity to be reflective of our curriculum and the needs of our current students.”

—  Tiffany Dobbyn

Audit and Management Advisory Services interim director

Janet Cox has been named interim director of Audit and Management Advisory Services, or AMAS, following the departure of Ryan Dickson, who left the university last month to pursue a new professional opportunity.

“Ryan has been an outstanding leader and trusted advisor whose professionalism, integrity and sound judgment have strengthened UC Davis,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. “His leadership of Audit and Management Advisory Services has reinforced our commitment to accountability, responsible stewardship and continuous improvement across the university. I am grateful for Ryan's many contributions over the past decade and wish him every success as he begins this next chapter of his career.”

Cox has served in AMAS for more than a decade, joining the office as a senior auditor in 2015, serving as principal auditor, and now as an audit manager since 2023. She brings extensive experience in internal auditing, governance, compliance and risk management, along with deep institutional knowledge and a strong commitment to the university’s mission. Throughout her tenure, Cox has earned the respect of colleagues across both the Davis and Sacramento campuses through her technical expertise, thoughtful judgment and collaborative approach.

A national search will be conducted to find a permanent director.

— Dateline Staff